Councillor Naoise Ó Muirí, Fine Gael, has called on Dublin City Council to commission a second opinion on the height of the Dollymount Flood Defence barrier. Ó Muirí is Chair of Dublin City Council’s Strategic Policy Committee and a General Election Candidate for Dublin Bay North.

“A Council Motion passed unanimously this week calls on Dublin City Council to engage with residents and assure them that this and any future flood defence project does not impact excessively on either visual or environmental amenity.

“The height of the barrier has proven to be very contentious, particularly where St. Anne’s Park runs down to the lagoon,” he explained.

“There is always going to be a natural tension between building a sea barrier that defends the shoreline against high seas and maintaining maximum visual amenity at the barrier’s location.

“Dublin City Council should now engage independent outside experts to provide a second opinion on the assumptions, analysis and design underpinning barrier height so that all parties can be reassured that this barrier is fit for purpose,” he said.